MIAA A Conference Quarterfinals: Standout Prospects.

The MIAA A Conference Quarterfinal round took place last night as four games decided the semifinal field. St. Frances took care of business at home against St. Vincent Pallotti, Mount Carmel controlled their game against Boys' Latin, Mount St. Joseph pulled away in the fourth quarter against a surging Spalding team and Glenelg Country defeated John Carroll on their home court for the second time in the span of seven days.   Here are the prospects that stood out throughout last night's slate.    The recently cemented BCL Player of the Year showed why he was deserving of such praise with his 26-point performance in helping MSJ to a quarterfinal win over Archbishop Spalding. The St. Joe's commit adds to his long resume of big-time games when his team needed him most to hit contested, demoralizing shots that separates himself from the pack. The ultimate competitor and leader of this team, Ranson's attack was done with precision as he drilled 11 of his 14 attempts from the field. Mount St. Joe will face No. 1 St. Frances in the semifinal matchup Thursday evening.     An obvious stock-riser in the next 2027 update, Leggett has emerged as the dependable lead guard for Garrett O'Donnell's group this season and once again came up big in their quarterfinal win on the road against John Carroll. The 6-foot-3 junior poured in a game-high 19 points while playing a balanced role of on and off the ball. His ability to expose driving lanes and use long step throughs in the smallest of gaps helps create unique angles for scoring opportunities, but he also made his defender pay for any space on the catch as he buried three triples. Leggett leads the Dragons to Mt. Carmel for a semifinal matchup on Thursday evening.     The top-ranked Panthers won by a convincing 15-point margin over St. Vincent Pallotti and the transfer junior guard led the scoring column with 17 points. A tough-nosed, southpaw guard who thrives in transition or getting downhill where he can initiate and finish through contact, McCoy has steadily improved his balance and fluidity within his catch-and-shoot mechanics to make him a much tougher assignment for opposing teams. His lateral quickness paired with active hands make him a stout defender who can hover 1-3 positions at this level.     As usual, the Mount Carmel scoring load was evenly distributed throughout, but it was Wilson who led the winning effort over Boys' Latin with 12 points. The 6-foot-4 combo guard is effective at using his quick burst and lengthy stride and wingspan on drives to finish around the cup. Mount Carmel will faceoff against a pesky Glenelg Country group with a stable of guards who can make things tough for others with their defensive scheme. It'll be interesting to see the adjustments that will be made from the previous meeting.     The All-BCL second teamer responded well after a shaky first half with a strong fourth quarter to help the Gaels create separation that would be represented by the 66-56 final score. He scored 10 of his 15 points in the final frame, seven of which came from the free-throw line as he went 7/7 down the stretch to help ice the game and the Gaels advance to the semifinal round.     Found it rather imperative to include Williams in this article for the work he did defending 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1782586' first='Aidan' last='Able'] last night. He held the John Carroll all-time leading scorer to just 13 points, eight of which came from the charity stripe. To hold a guy who is used to putting up 20+ on a regular basis in a playoff game is something to be praised. His discipline in walling up on Able's drives, his effort on chasing him around pin downs all while maintaining good position as the weakside defender was extremely impressive to watch. While much of his effort was demanded on the defensive end, Williams also knocked down a pair of three's on his way to eight points in the win.     Fisk received a deserved All-BCL First Team nod as well as the league's Most Improved Player of the Year award on Monday and responded with a 16-point outing to follow McCoy's 17 in their opening round win. The smooth operating combo guard can showcase his athleticism in the open floor, possesses savvy anticipation off the ball defensively and continues to round out his overall offensive skillset as time progresses. He'll be key in what should be another classic head-to-head matchup against rival Mount St. Joe on Thursday.     Simley's recent surge has been a major reason for Mount St. Joe's strong end to the season as the Gonzaga transfer has picked up his consistency as a producer on both ends of the floor. A toolsy hybrid forward with plus length, Simley is able to slide down multiple positions defensively. He's approaching the glass with aggression, knocking down open shots from the perimeter and doing a nice job of initiating contact on drives to earn trips to the free-throw line. This was the sort of production that Pat Clatchey and his staff hoped for when adding Simley to the fold and he's coming through at the most pivotal time of the season. His efforts resulted in 13 points and six boards.     One of the better unsigned seniors in the MIAA, Marshburn came on strong out of halftime for Glenelg Country where he scored nine of his 13 points to regain striking distance for his team. A 6-foot-5 wing who can also slide up and play the two-guard, he did a nice job of using his size on drives where he turned his back to his defender and backed his way down to a spot within 15-feet before rising over for feathery jumpers. His combination of size and shooting is what makes him attractive as a college prospect and will play a vital role in potentially upsetting Mount Carmel in the semifinal round tomorrow night.

The MIAA A Conference Quarterfinal round took place last night as four games decided the semifinal field. St. Frances took care of business at home against St. Vincent Pallotti, Mount Carmel controlled their game against Boys' Latin, Mount St. Joseph pulled away in the fourth quarter against a surging Spalding team and Glenelg Country defeated John Carroll on their home court for the second time in the span of seven days.